I didn’t eat food for 4-days, here’s what happened

You’ve heard the benefits of extended fasts, but what actually happens?

I decided it’s time. Time to do an extended fast. It’s been on my list all year. Number 9. Do a 3-day fast and make a video about it.

I’m scared. I don’t know why. I know I’ll be fine. I’ve heard the stories, listened to the podcasts, know the science (sort of). It makes sense logically. Years ago, we didn’t always have food on hand, going a few days without eating would be normal.

But I was still scared. I ask myself, what if I get hungry? What if I can’t do the work I need to do? What if a good mealtime comes up? Think, oh there was that thing I had to do. I’ll probably need food for that.

All this happened within the space of a 20-minute afternoon bike ride. Before I get home I’ve decided. I’m doing it.

I have dinner knowing I’m not going to be eating for the next 3-days. 72-hours. Easy. I tell my family. I’m not eating for the next 3-days. They ask why. I tell them it’s for an experiment. My mum asks if I’m going to be alright. I say yes. She says are you sure? I say I’m sure.

Dinner is steak, potatoes and greens with a few spoonfuls of plain probiotic yoghurt afterwards. I better prepare my gut bacteria. It’s a meal worthy of being a last meal. Simple and delicious. It finishes around 7:30 pm. The clock starts.

I tell the world. Decide I’m going to document what happens to me. Let’s see.

Why fast for 3 days?

I learn things best when I’m in them. One of my rules is I can’t talk about anything where I don’t have skin in the game. I’d never done an extended fast but being a health nerd, I’d heard of their endless list of benefits. And if you’ve listened to a Tim Ferriss, Joe Rogan, Peter Attia or Aubrey Marcus podcast, you have too.

I’d done 24-hours, dinner to dinner and do 16/8 (not eating for 16-hours, eating for 8-hours) basically every day but never longer than a day.

To find out more, I had to stop being an outside observer and become a practitioner.